Full Circle
by swanqueengranger
Summary: Madness is a powerful thing. It can begin wars; being affairs; destroy worlds. It can give hope in hopeless situations. In the town of Storybrooke, Maine, madness drives a man to the edge when Jefferson decides to end the curse on his own terms and Emma must embrace her destiny. Eventual Swan Queen.
1. Chapter 1

**6:19 PM**

There are a few things I know.

One.

Regina is screaming.

I know this because I know her voice as distinct as my own and I've heard that screaming directed at me enough to know it anywhere. I've heard it enough to know even through the closed door that Regina is screaming.

Safe, but screaming.

Two.

Life is funny.

In all of the ways that we never bother to think of.

It's made up of moments, big and small that can define our day… our week…

Our life.

Like how you lose your glasses and search angrily for them for ten minutes before realizing they've been on your head the entire time.

How a day of intense loneliness can turn in an instant towards a place of belonging when you've been searching your whole life.

How you find your peace in a person you can't stop warring with.

Life is funny, because you never know how anything is ever going to go.

Each decision that we make effects the next moment of every day.

Three.

Life is unpredictable.

Nothing is every concrete, yet somehow there are some things we cannot escape.

See? Funny.

Every instant of every single one of our days is based off of the one before it and is therefore always changing. It's the very reason that we ask ourselves what could I have done different? What could I have changed?

Where would it have taken me instead?

Are there infinite possibilities out there playing out millions of decisions that we have made differently?

We have all had moments where we thought if I had just done this instead of that, would I have been better off?

If I had turned left to go to work that day instead of right…

If I had never made that phone call at 2 AM…

If I had just have walked away instead of following someone else, would I have raised my kid?

Four.

Life is patient.

Because then what?

Because if I had changed something, just one tiny thing from the way I did it, that kid wouldn't have found me and I wouldn't have found the place I was meant to be… as crazy as that seems right now.

So, if we could change those moments, would we?

I know what you're thinking, Emma Swan is waxing philosophic.

Who knew, right?

I suppose it was bound to happen given the life I've led. I mean, this is where I always thought I was going to end up, so why am I surprised?

Is it because I had begun to find a sense of happiness?

Of belonging?

I knew I was destined for this at some point and so, I changed everything I could so that it would not happen and yet… here I am.

So, maybe those infinite possibilities are just waiting to lead us to the eventual destination we are meant to reach. We can change every detail and vigilantly fight against a rising tide we can feel in our bones, but we still somehow get there anyway.

Maybe we aren't supposed to change the ending, just the paths we take to get there.

Is that what destiny is?

I don't know.

There are only a few things I know.

Like Regina is screaming.

For me.

Which seems odd, but also kind of suddenly right.

Right in that way that you realize something monumentally important a second too late.

Like the look in his eyes before he pulled the trigger.

So, yeah. Those are things I know. Life is funny and unpredictable and patient.

Because Regina is screaming…

…and I am wondering what I could have done different.


	2. Chapter 2

_It's almost 5 AM as I publish this. I am utterly exhausted and have been an asshole irrationally tonight due to stress and feel severely sympathetic with Emma on this one. Hope you like this part. I'll try to have the next part up soon. Have a good one, everyone. All mistakes are my own and I apologize for them cause I am my own beta. As always, I don't own (sadly) and reviews are much appreciated. _

**9:08 AM**

"Sheriff Swan, I have already explained to you that there is simply no more room in the budget. Your ten year old son could understand this, what exactly about it are you finding so difficult?"

Emma sighed, ran a hand through long hair and grasped the file in her hand tighter. She could hear the manila folder crinkling as she stared at the Mayor, exhaustion fighting for control against anger.

"Jesus, Regina, I'm not asking for a million dollars, I'm asking for some help on the force! I'm pulling double shifts all the time and…"

"If you don't want the job, Sheriff…"

"It isn't about wanting the damn job!"

The angry exclamation echoed off of the tall ceiling of the grandiose office and with an exasperated exhalation of air, Emma Swan slammed her hands against her sides. Regina Mills merely closed her eyes and sighed, the blonde supremely surprised that she had allowed herself to be silenced at all, but this meeting had already taken almost an hour and she was already beginning her day exhausted.

Not that that was anything new.

Without an actual deputy on board, she had found herself taking every single shift of every day.

She was on call 24 hours a day/7 days a week and anyone could see that the strain was visibly taking its toll.

She could feel the headache beginning to spiral behind her eyes and she shut them quickly, bringing one hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose tightly.

"Sheriff, you knew the hours and risks when you took this job. I'm sorry that I do not have the power to produce more money from nowhere so you can have a day off."

That was it.

Her hand dropped and green eyes flashed angrily as she took a step closer to the mahogany desk. She lifted her hand quickly, pointing the manila folder filled with her own calculations down at the mayor.

Calculations.

She, Emma Swan, had calculated.

Late into the night when she could have been sleeping uncomfortably at her desk.

She had done math, damnit, and Regina was not even entertaining it.

"Now you look, I stayed up…"

"If you would like to propose a budgetary compromise," One smoothly polished hand raised in the air as Regina continued, "at the next council meeting, I'm sure that can be arranged and the matter of your needing help can be addressed then."

Emma paused at the quick switch in the conversation; her brow furrowing at the change in tone from the Mayor.

She had expected a fight, sure, because it was Regina, but she didn't expect a compromise so soon.

Confusion raked through her foggy mind as she stared at the woman and the feeling that she was missing something important sprung to life in her. Suddenly, anger prickled in her at the surely unspoken meaning dripping in the word "help".

The implied meaning that she was incapable of handling the responsibility on her own.

"If you'd like to leave your proposal on my desk, I will take it into consideration. Beyond that, I have nothing further to say on the subject."

Green eyes bared into brown as a familiar tense silence filled the room. She could feel an angry sigh trying to push through her lips, but already felt the fatigue and stress pushing it back down. Why on earth was everything so hard with Regina? Why did she have to make everything so damn difficult?

Somewhere in her, she knew this response was irrational. That Regina was probably being absolutely honest with her and certainly unnervingly civil, but she couldn't squash the feeling that she was taking pleasure in it.

As if somehow having her exhausted was proving the point that Emma was indeed, not fit for the job.

She opened her mouth to snap a response, to berate the other woman for thinking she could speak so condescendingly to her when her request was absolutely rational and necessary. Two steps forward, however and Emma froze.

She wasn't sure what made the words never come. Perhaps it was the tight lipped look of expectation from the woman before her, waiting on the angry exchange as clearly as she was waiting for the folder.

Perhaps it was the barely veiled exhaustion shining from her eyes despite the ever present and perfectly meticulous mask she wore.

Whatever it was, she was surprised when the triumphant feeling that knowing Regina was just as exhausted as she was didn't come.

If anything, the sudden and confusing ache in her chest at the sight only added to her exhaustion.

Something shifted momentarily as green eyes stayed with brown and the blonde found herself dropping the irrational anger surprisingly quickly in the sudden realization that Regina Mills was allowing her to be irrationally angry.

Damnit, there was that feeling again.

The one that had been slipping into their exchanges for a while now and although Emma was certainly not about to admit to herself what she knew it might be, she certainly recognized the uneasiness that it produced within her and that made her turn tail and hypothetically bolt.

This was Regina.

She was incapable of caring about someone.

Incapable of anything other than anger and disdain towards her.

Right?

And even as she produced the thoughts in her mind, Emma knew it wasn't true, because something had been changing between them and they both knew it.

With a sigh, she dropped the folder softly onto the desk.

Emotions were complicated and she was too exhausted for complicated.

"I know that it's Storybrooke and nothing really ever happens here, Madame Mayor, but don't you think it's dangerous that it's just me out there?"

One corner of the brunette's lips quirked upwards as she lifted the folder from the top of her meticulously arranged desk, eyes already flicking down as she flipped the top open easily.

"I tell myself that every single day, Ms. Swan."

Emma couldn't resist another sigh then and reeled back on her heels, hands immediately sinking into the back pockets of her jeans. One eyebrow raised as she stared at the brunette behind her desk, and noticed with a feeling she couldn't quite name that Regina was fighting a smile.

An honest to god smile.

"Ha. Ha."

With a pointedly exaggerated eye roll, Emma wasn't surprised to feel the tiny grin pull at her own lips. She was already three steps towards the door when the sound of the Mayor's cool voice in her ears halted her retreat.

"Sheriff Swan?"

The amusement was gone when green eyes met brown once more.

Silence enveloped them as they locked eyes across the rooms and once again, the tightly coiled electricity rolled between them. It was dangerous, this feeling, and though it had been developing between them slowly, it had recently sprung up in a way that she was sure neither of them had expected.

Neither would name it, she knew, but there was a very fine line being walked between the two women.

For the life of her, though, she couldn't figure out which side they would teeter towards.

"I'll look it over."

Deciding this line of thought was best left to her bedroom at night and not blindingly early in the morning before she headed to the station to begin yet another day, the blonde took the small victory in the softening of the Mayor's facade and accepted it with a mere nod.

"Thank you."

The door fell closed with a soft click behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

_**I sincerely apologize for the delay, but here's the next installment. I hope everyone is still reading and I will be, FINALLY, getting these out on a regularly basis. Countdown til season 2 is full on and can I just thank LP for that comment about R/E? Seriously? Awesome. On another, and very serious note, this gal is in full on plans to fly across the globe to recapture her Emma Swan, so please bear with me – or talk to me about places in Germany that I should see/stay or where you'd like to meet up for a drink if you're there to help in my very own Operation Cobra. Seriously could use the support of SQ nation on this one. R/R please, I love to hear your thought. I don't own, unfortunately, or Showtime would have its most successful show ever. Anyway, we're setting everything up here, so enjoy!**_

**10:01 AM**

The ringing of the tiny bell filled the mostly full diner as Ruby wiped the counter for the third time. Blue eyes flitted towards the door out of habit and brightened immediately when she recognized the lithe form of Emma Swan step through.

The cheerful expression died on her lips, however as she took in the haggard appearance the Sheriff was obviously fighting off. She knew her friend had been pulling triple shifts at work and she knew that she hadn't been sleeping well because of it, but the absolute look of exhaustion made her heart clench just a bit as the blonde nodded in greeting to a murmured good morning from a patron.

Rising to her full height, Ruby placed one well-manicured hand on her hip and tucked the off white rag into her apron.

It took Emma exactly five steps to make it to the counter; three of which were taken up with morning platitudes to Storybrooke citizens.

For a woman who had never settled anywhere, the waitress should be surprised at how at ease she seemed within the confines of their little hamlet.

But, the truth of it was that she couldn't be, because Emma Swan may be many things, and most of them Ruby hadn't probed her about in their late night discussions; but unfriendly and cold were certainly not among them. For ironically, the woman she knew had always been running from stability, Emma Swan craved it more than anyone she had ever know.

"Morning, Ruby."

A deep sign left the Sheriff's lips as she slid her body onto the nearest stool, already pouring her head into her hands. Blonde tresses blocked her view of her friend's face, and Ruby could tell with excruciating precision that she was exhausted.

"Late night, Sheriff?"

Her lip twitched at the statement, knowing even as she poured the unasked for cup of coffee, that Emma was smirking at her behind the curtain of hair. The use of her title was almost teasing between them, given everything they'd been through and it never failed to make Emma smile.

She would roll her eyes and chuckle every single time.

It didn't take a genius to recognize the discomfort at the permanency of the title. Emma was metaphorically squirming in her skin every time she was reminded of her permanency.

So, Ruby made it a point to say it as often as she could.

"You could say that." Emma leaned back in her chair, a yawn fighting to escape her lips as the brunette placed the steaming mug in front of her. Green eyes flicked to her mid stretch and the gratitude there was without necessary mention.

"You're a goddess."

Ruby only smirked in response, drawing the cloth from her apron once more to swipe a few specks of spilled liquid from the counter.

"So, I've been told."

One lone chuckle escaped the blonde's lips as she gingerly brought the cup up and sipped languidly. Ruby watched as she seemed to sink into her chair, a contented sigh escaping her lips. "God, that's good."

"Careful, Sheriff. You're gonna give a few patrons a heart attack with those noises."

One green eye quirked open as the blonde spied the teasing grin on the waitress' face. With a smirk, Ruby quirked one eyebrow surreptitiously towards the far booth to her right, never missing a beat in removing the now nonexistent stains from the counter. One fair brow raised in question as Emma took the hint and swiveled ever so slightly in her chair, casting her gaze towards the lone occupant of the last booth in the far corner.

She had seen the man before, of course, but she hadn't ever spoken to him.

Which now seemed weird in some way given the size of the town.

As she swiveled away from his curiously strong gaze, she brought the mug to her lips again, two brows scrunched in silent questioning. Her lips hovered above the rim of the mug momentarily, giving the illusion of a sip before she asked, "So who's tall, dark and starey?"

Ruby grinned but continued her routine wipe down.

"Name's Jefferson."

A small noise of recognition fled the blonde's lips as she finally took another sip, thankful for the srength of Granny's coffee, especially today.

"He's kind of a recluse. Very secretive. Very dark and twisty."

The glint in Ruby's eye told Emma all she needed to know and with a final smirk, the blonde downed the rest of her mug and slid from the small stool.

"So, I should expect the wedding invitations in the mail any time now?"

The small chuckle from the waitress was tossed over her shoulder as she filled a to-go cup for her friend. Placing the lid tightly on top, she sat it gingerly on the counter before leaning closer.

"Need I remind you that it's not me that he's all hot and bothery looking at, Sheriff."

Chancing one more small glance towards the corner, Emma found the dark haired man sipping his drink and not even trying to hide his blatant staring over the rim of his glass. A small frown tugged at her lips as she grabbed the to-go cup and turned back to her friend.

Fishing a few bills from her pocket, she tossed them lazily onto the counter and smiled up at the brunette. One eyebrow quirked in disbelief and more than a little annoyance. "Yeah, I think I'll pass on this one, Ruby. I only have room for one secretive, dark and twisty individual in my life and she happens to be the mother of my son."

A full on smile burst across the brunette's face as she swiped the money from the counter and stuffed it into the pocket of her apron with a wink.

"Careful, Sheriff. Talk like that and people'll start to think you care."

A small chuckle filled Emma's lungs as she swung open the diner door. The bell tinkled above her and with a final look over her shoulder, she shrugged and smiled, lifting the coffee in her hand, "I'll keep that in mind."

With a final glance to the corner, her smile never faltered at the stoic look that greeted her from the booth. With a final giggle from the waitress behind the counter, the bell settled to life above the closing door.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** _This has been a long time coming, and I've finally got the next two chapters laid out. Expect them following quickly. No excuse other than myself being swept up in life. I apologize profusely, and I know, I suck. Thank you for reading and as always, please R/R. I hope you enjoy! _

_As always, I don't own them or there'd be fluff and sexy times abounding. Not beta'ed, so all mistakes are mine!_

**11:58 AM**

The office is warm.

Dangerously warm, if she is being honest with herself, but the cold wind outside has provided a more than adequate excuse to up the temperature in the tiny Sheriff's office.

And for that, at this moment, she is both thankful and dutifully upset.

For the life of her, however as Emma eases forward in her normally uncomfortable desk chair, one hand crammed in blonde tendrils and already feeling her eyes beginning to droop, she can hardly pick a side. It is only when she jars herself awake, hand slipping unceremoniously away from her face and head crashing against her own chest, that she makes her decision.

Green eyes scan the room quickly, determining if anyone has been present for what she is sure was a comical awakening. She is already seen as a bit of a goof and with the exhaustion seeping through her pores, she is in no mood for the mirth that would spread through the little town at catching the sheriff dozing at her desk.

Besides, Regina would have a field day with that one and no matter what changes may be occurring in their plainly drawn battle lines, she still doesn't want to give her the satisfaction of pulling rank. Where was the fun in that?

She can feel the tiny grin beginning to pull at her lips and rolls her eyes at the yawn that fights to claim them instead. Warm hands scrub roughly down her face and Emma groans into them slightly, attempting to rouse some wakefulness back into her frame. She can feel the exhaustion pulling her back towards merely laying her head down on the desktop calendar that is already littered with manila folders of paperwork Regina has commanded be finished before the end of the week. She takes one moment to scowl down at her own terse scribbling on post-its and pushes the chair away from the desk.

The movement is too quick as she stands and for a moment she steadies herself against the hard desktop and angrily lets loose a jaw cracking yawn. She can remember in her life being this exhausted, but it hasn't been since she lived on the streets and was consciously aware of her own mortality even minute in the dark night.

One moment is spent, mind reeling back towards those moments as a terrified teenager huddled in dark alleyways with no one in the world to care if she lived until the morning. With a sharp shake of her head, Emma sends the thoughts away; back to the recesses of her mind where she doesn't like to go.

Things are different now and she has a responsibility and people who care for her. That time is over.

Her conviction is almost enough to make her believe for a moment, but she finds herself projecting a scowl at the to-go cup of coffee Ruby had given her all the same. She snatches it up and brings it gingerly to her lips, determined to garner some jolt of caffeine before she begins her important duty as Sheriff and tackles the mound of paperwork awaiting her.

When cold liquid pours past her lips, she reacts reflexively and jerks it backwards, eyes wide in surprise for a moment. It is staring at the freshly sprawling cold stain blossoming across the front of her red turtleneck that finally brings a curse to her lips.

With hands outstretched from her sides, green eyes stare at the offending blotch for longer than necessary before all steam leaves her in a small sigh.

"Really?"

With an angry shake of her head, Emma gives the to-go cup one last scowl before two strides has her standing in front of the garbage can in the corner. She knows it is silly to place blame on an inanimate object, but somehow, at this moment, she doesn't care and with more force than is necessary, she hurls it into the trash. As it crashes against the bottom, lid propelled off from the force, she reasons it probably wasn't the best idea.

As she watches with an expression akin to hate, brown liquid splashes over the far side and onto the floor. She stands there motionless for a solid twenty seconds staring at the cold pool now slowly spreading into the grout of the floor. Her attention briefly swivels to the garbage can, but with a set of muttered expletives that has her happy that Henry is no where in ear shot, Emma reaches for the paper towels in front of her instead.

When the second one rips from the roll, she has convinced herself that throwing the garbage can through the plate glass window would only invite more wrath from Regina than is necessary and effectively kill her request for a budgetary increase.

Not to mention she would have to clean it up.

She drops a paper towel onto the floor, prodding it with her boot into the liquid before dabbing the front of her shirt with the second. A frown tugs at her lips as she notices the towel in her hand is determinately dry while the one on the floor is immediately soaking wet.

She scowls one last time and bends down to collect the soaking wet towel. The cold against her hands does nothing for her mood and the sudden ring from the station phone actually makes her jump. She deposits the wet towel into the garbage can with a scowl, one hand still dabbing the front of her sweater before snatching the receiver up.

With little maneuvering, she pins the phone to her shoulder with her ear and continues the fruitless task of trying to salvage her shirt.

"Sheriff Swan." Her bark into the line is harsh she knows, but more appropriate than the words she immediately bit back. Nothing ever happened of importance in this sleepy town, and she wasn't exactly in the mood to retrieve Mrs. Hanson's pissy cat from the tree again.

That thing was pure, hissing evil.

"And good afternoon to you, too, Sheriff Swan."

Her hands slow instinctively at the sound of the other woman's voice on the line, but it doesn't stop the crease from forming between her eyebrows. "Regina?"

"Mayor Mills" is the correction that meets her ears.

Emma cannot help the eye roll that happens then and reaches up to tug the phone from her shoulder with a huff, balling the useless paper towel up and tossing it towards the garbage can. It bounces off the top and lands on the floor.

Of course.

Her lip twitches of her its own accord as she snarls at the offending object, but it is Regina's silky voice that snaps her attention back. "Huh?"

A small and almost inaudible sigh is her only reply and she can almost see the Mayor leaning back in her expensive and plush, she is sure, chair. "Honestly, Ms. Swan, do at least try to keep up with the …"

"Sheriff Swan."

Silence reigns for a solid ten seconds on the line and Emma smirks at the expression she is positive is covering the other woman's face: a mixture of shock, anger and something akin to constipation.

"Excuse me?"

The voice is low; dangerous.

_Sexy. _ Emma smirks as the twisting in her gut making itself achingly known. She eases herself back into the chair she vacated earlier, leaning back to peer at the ceiling. She tries to make her reply flippant, yet authoritative when she speaks, but she is under no impression that Regina cannot hear the grin in her voice and is happily certain that it pisses her off that much more.

"Sorry, I thought we were being formal."

"No need to apologize, _Sheriff_. I didn't realize you were so easily trained."

The words stick at her slightly and she feels the grin slip from her lips. Theirs is an interesting relationship. She takes a deep breath to retort when the Mayor continues.

"The reason for my call, Sheriff is to see if you'd be agreeable to picking Henry up this afternoon?"

Emma's eyebrows rise at that and she leans forward. Regina has been offering time with Henry more freely lately, something she hasn't been certain how to respond to. She is ecstatic, of course, but she isn't sure that expressing that to Regina wouldn't result in the revocation of the permission. With a frown at her own thoughts, Emma leans back in her chair again.

On the other hand, it does seem as if Regina is making an _actual_ effort, albeit a small one, to include her more frequently in their family.

There is an entirely dangerous line of thoughts that spiral behind that possibility and Emma isn't sure she is ready to explore that even within the confines of her own mind yet, so true to form, she plays it safe.

"Of course. Everything ok?"

For a moment, silence reigns on the line and worry begins to gnaw at her that something may actually be wrong. When Regina's voice sounds again, Emma is torn between guilt and intrigue at the genuine surprise and hesitation she hears from the older woman. Not for the first time, she wonders briefly who has hurt Regina so badly in the past that she doesn't expect even the simplest concern for her well being.

"Yes... I have a meeting that I'm afraid is going to run late."

The earlier tone of the conversation has shifted, replaced by that silent electricity that is constantly present between them and suddenly Emma feels the prickling of self consciousness. Tired fingers dig into the hair line at her neck and she nods.

"Ok… well… uhm…" She wants to say something, but finds herself at a loss. The words that tumble from her lips do so before she can stop herself. "Would you like me to bring you lunch?"

As realization melds into the silence she is met with, she winces at her own stupid boldness and immediately she is back peddling. "I mean, you know, if you're going to be busy, I don't want you to not eat. You know, I just thought..."

Her sudden and seemingly nervous rambling causes another wince, but she is saved the indignity of further embarrassing herself when the Mayor cuts her off.

"That won't be necessary, Ms. Swan. Thank you for the thought, however." Emma has only the briefest of moments to recognize the tiny small she hears present in Regina's tone, before she continues, businesslike once more. "You may drop Henry at home after school. See to it that he doesn't ruin his appetite with greasy diner food."

Emma grins at the change, quirks an eyebrow and leans forward, "Come on, what do you take me for? We'll just have a couple of ice cream sundaes and be on our way."

She hears Regina's sigh and leans towards the desk top quickly, "See you later, Madame Mayor!"

The receiver is dropped into place before Regina has a moment to respond and she knows she is going to be paying for that soon. She grins just the same as she begins to push away from the desk, only to be interrupted once more by the office line's shrill ring.

Her grin blossoms fully on her lips as she plucks it up. "Regina, relax, I'm not going to…"

"Sheriff Swan?"

Emma's words halt immediately and the grin falls from her face to be replaced once again by the small frown from earlier. She spins slightly, pushing her chair back as she prepares to sit.

"Mr. Gold, what can I do for you?"

There is a brief pause on the line as the man takes a deep breath, probably formulating his words to the perfect advantage of whatever manipulative angle he is trying to pull this time. Emma rolls her eyes again and bends to sit on her desk top instead, already hoping this conversation will not take long. She needs to change her shirt.

"I'm afraid I have a robbery to report. Can you come by my shop?"

She is off of the desk in a moment's notice; eyebrows in her hairline as she bends to snatch a pen from her desk. "Sure. Are you ok? Do you know what is missing?"

Again, the brief silence stretches across the line and she can imagine the scowl on the shopkeeper's face, hating to admit he needs assistance of any kind. "I'm fine, thank you and unfortunately I do, Sheriff."

She is in no mood to play verbal tug of war with him and she is certain this comes across when she once again raises her eyebrows and shrugs, pen held ready. "And?"

"My handgun."

The words hand dangerously in the air and all agitation at the conversation suddenly leaves her frame. With a small smack, the pen falls against the desk top and in three strides, she is snatching her jacket from the hook on the wall and sliding it onto her arms.

"I'm on my way."

His words are soft as she steps back to her desk, hand reaching behind to drag the hair from beneath the collar of her jacket.

"Thank you, Sheriff."

Silence reigns through the office as she drops the receiver onto the base and pauses momentarily.

There is small niggling feeling in the back of her mind as she stares at the base, but she can't place it. With a small shake of her head, she lifts the gun from her desk top and slides it resolutely into the holster on her hip. As she grabs her keys from their haphazardly tossed place on her desk and rounds the side towards the front door, she is already wondering if she should call Regina on the way to the Gold's shop.

As she tugs the door closed behind her, twisting the lock as she does, she has already decided against it. This is probably some harmless misunderstanding and there is no call yet to bother the woman with unimportant things when she is clearly busy.

Face set in determined resolution, she opens the driver door to the squad car and slides quickly onto the cold leather seat.

Perhaps today wasn't going to be boring after all.


End file.
